Promises
by Chibi-Kari
Summary: Puck took promises and responsibility seriously.  Rachel was his problem and when she self destructed he would be there to help her get it back together.  They weren't friends or anything.  He just made a promise. R&R! P/R Friendship.
1. Promises

**Chibi-Kari: **Just a short little one shot that was sitting in my mind and I had to get out. I like Puck/Rachel friendship fics...and I think that Puck's personality allows me to do this. I don't own and please leave an opinion after the button.

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Promises

Puck glanced around the room looking at all the choir members sitting around the auditorium expressions ranging from annoyed to bored. He shook his head. Only one face in the room looked worried and that was Finn. But of course he would. His girlfriend simply hadn't showed up to the group practice. Most everyone else wasn't surprised that she hadn't showed yet… just annoyed. He had heard Kurt mumble something to Tina about Rachel's dramatics.

It wasn't like any of them really wanted to be here, anyway. The governor had asked the two Ohio glee clubs that had participated in Regionals to perform together for this stupid political ball or fundraiser thing. To be honest Puck didn't pay very much attention when Mr. Schue was telling them about it. He didn't care. What had caught his attention was when Mr. Schue said that Shelby would be leading the practices. She wasn't even the coach of Vocal Adrenaline anymore, but she was coming to the practices. Which meant he might be able to see his kid if she brought her. He was prepared when he saw the small carrier. What he wasn't prepared for was who was carrying it. St. James had walked in behind Shelby, on Fall Break obviously, carrying his baby. Puck was almost glad that Rachel decided that this wasn't worth it. She really didn't need to see the two of them.

Mr. Schue looked around blankly as the two teams just stared at each other, "Finn, do you know where Rachel is? She's a half hour late and we really need to get started."

Finn shook his head blankly staring down at the phone clutched in his hand, "She's not answering my calls."

"Maybe she was too scared to show." One of the members of Vocal Adrenaline sneered from the masses, "Sunshine is a hundred times better than her anyway." The rival team seemed to think the comment was highly entertaining and Shelby just raised an eyebrow at the new coach who was standing behind the group with his Bluetooth firmly in place looking bored.

"Rachel wouldn't just not show up! She's too professional for that!" Finn snapped and even Mercedes and Kurt seemed to nod.

Puck wanted to roll his eyes and scoff. He knew Rachel wasn't coming and of course she wasn't answering Finn's calls. They were on the verge of breaking up, but he seemed oblivious to that fact. Not that Puck could blame him. Their break up would have nothing to do with Finn…and Puck thanked God that it didn't have anything to do with him either. He was just getting into Finn's good graces. He didn't need another Finn girlfriend fiasco with him placed firmly in the middle. No, this time it would be all Rachel at the rate she was going.

Mr. Schue looked around again, "Either way we do need to get going. Has anyone heard from her?"

Puck rolled his eyes at the negatives. None of them probably even had her phone number. He flinched slightly when his own cell vibrated in his pocket. As inconspicuously as he could, and he was a badass for a reason, he pulled it out and looked at the contents. Completely unsurprised, "She won't be coming."

Shelby was the one to question him, "You've heard from her?" She walked towards the stage Puck was sitting on slowly. Meaningfully.

Puck rolled his eyes as Rachel's clone tried to intimidate him. He held up his phone lightly and flicked his wrist back and forth in the air as if to taunt her with it, "Yeah. She just texted me. She's too busy to come. Really, this is a waste of time anyway." This was the perfect segue for him to leave the auditorium and get to where he really needed to be.

"And what is she too busy with to attend a practice for a very important performance?" Shelby's voice was smooth, yet held that same demand that he used to hear from Rachel. He hadn't heard it in awhile and he almost missed hearing it. Almost.

His eyes narrowed slightly. The Puckzilla wasn't one to be pushed around. He pushed others around and it wasn't her place to know that. It was partially her fault. She couldn't just pick and choose when she wanted to be in Rachel's life or what she wanted to know, "See here, lady. I don't see how that's any of your business. You're not her coach. And you certainly lost the right to be her mother last year."

He heard the intake of air behind him from Quinn. He knew she was feeling a certain amount of guilt for leaving Beth that day in the hospital. It probably didn't help that their daughter was only feet away fast asleep in a carrier. And here was her baby-daddy implying that abandoning a child gives you know right to ever know them. But these were two different circumstances and Puck would be sure to tell her that later. First, he had other things to attend to. Things that were, currently, more important.

Shelby's mouth opened and closed for a moment before settling firmly in a thin line. "I'm currently her coach for this performance and I don't approve of this type of behavior."

"You're not her coach if she doesn't plan on attending this performance. And she doesn't." He really needed to head out. He was starting to get nervous at how long this was taking. And Noah Puckerman was too badass to do nerves. "And you know what? I'm out, too."

He grabbed his bag that he had flung on the floor when he first arrived and tossed it over his shoulder. Hopping off the stage he glanced at Mr. Schue who looked as shocked as Shelby and practically dared him to stop him.

"Why did she text you?" The voice was low and malicious. It stopped Puck right in his tracks, something he really didn't have time for.

"Let it go, dude."

"Are you having sex with her, too? Do you make it a rule to screw all of my girlfriends?" Finn's voice raised to a yell.

Puck turned on his heel and leveled a glare at his old best friend, "No, I'm not. Let go of the whole Quinn thing. Rachel wouldn't do that with me…not that I've never tried." He couldn't stop himself from glancing at Jesse who obviously followed the conversation at the slight affronted look that flashed across his face.

Finn was silent for a moment, "Then why did she text you and not answer my calls?"

Puck tried to play it off like he didn't know the answer. "Maybe cause you'd talk her into coming? Maybe cause we're both hot Jews? Who knows dude. Only thing I know is I'm not hanging around here. This is lame." He turned back around and exited as quickly as he could so he wouldn't be stopped again.

Puck walked uninterrupted to his truck before throwing his bag in the back and jumping in quickly. Maybe not telling them was a nonfeasance, but he made a promise to Rachel months ago. A promise that he was starting to regret…another thing that badasses didn't do. At the time it didn't seem like a bad idea. His mother always did say hindsight was always 20/20.

Rachel had been going through a rough time, granted, but even Puck never acted the way she was. He could see her slowly losing the girl he had known just a year ago and he hoped he wasn't going to take the blame for that. Hell, he was the one keeping her together. Holding her hair back when she drank too much. Really he was acting like her little bitch, but a promise to keep quiet also pulled him into making sure she didn't get caught.

She had countered his promise with a promise that she'd tell him what party she was at and where pretty much guaranteeing that they went together so he could keep her in check. Lately, he had been pretty sure that she wasn't telling him every time she was going out. Today just proved that. Maybe that allowed him to break his promise, but he wouldn't. He took promises and responsibility seriously. Rachel was his problem and when she self destructed he would be there to help her get it back together. They weren't friends or anything. He just made a promise.


	2. May 27, 2010 10:54pm

**Chibi-Kari:** Wow the feedback I got for this was so amazing and the comments and requests for more were really sweet. So here is the flashback. I may continue based on feedback, but if I do I won't be doing it in order. It will be different points in time covering the summer...so non-linear everyone. Which I've always wanted to do...so that is incentive. Anyway I don't own and thanks everyone for all the kind words!

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**May 27, 2010 10:54pm**

Sophomore year of high school was dead and over and Puck, although he did enjoy his time on top, didn't think that his high school years were going to be the best of his life. This year happened to be crap anyway. First he knocked up his best friend's girl. He got called a Lima loser more than once by said baby mama. Got slushied – of course he did pummel those guys into the previous week later that day. Got dumped – he's still not sure how that one happened. How could Rachel turn down him and his guns? Then his baby mama gave away his beautiful daughter. Just in this year he could tell High School was not the best years of his life. Plus, he would rather be on top of the leggy blonde co-ed four feet to his left. Man, did he love summer when college parties flowed and he joined in. Screw high school. College was going to be the best years of his life. And with the level of the women in here he would be alright attending Lima Community College. With women like these who needed state schools?

"Hey, babe. I see the party's over here." He lowered his voice to the sexy purr that he worked on for hours, not forgetting to pull out the guns for show. When the first girl of the night giggled in response he knew he was in. "Need a refill?"

He nodded to her empty drink and she responded with another nod and giggle. With his head held high he snatched the cup from her hand and started to saunter to the kitchen. He looked over his shoulder and threw in a smirk. If Noah Puckerman knew one thing it was how to get a girl. Step 1: Act like an ass, but do something sweet. Somehow that equates to just the right balance. Step 2: Show off the guns and the crest white smile. Step 3: Know when to get out.

He had it down to a science and nothing was going to break his stride tonight.

Puck glanced around the small kitchen as he waited for the two guys filling up the beer pong cups vacated the keg so he could refill her drink, grab one for himself, and get his ass right back to mile high blonde. God, he hoped that her future dreams included flight attendant. It would make his mental name for her even better when locker room talk started up next year.

He sighed and pulled on the spout when the two finally vacated the room. Impatience wasn't badass, but he wanted to get back to the chick before someone else spotted her. He had moved on to his cup when the giggle behind him halted every thought in his brain. If there was one sound he knew well it was Rachel's giggle. It was one of his favorite sounds, mostly because he knew it only came from sucking on her neck in just the right spot. A spot he was almost sure Finn hadn't found. Obviously he was wrong and Finn and Rachel were at the party making out in the kitchen behind him. The moment he nodded to himself slightly and started filling his cup again it dawned on him how the thought didn't even make sense. He spun quickly on his heel and caught sight of Rachel immediately, but not with his ex-best friend.

"What the fu-Get offa her!" He barreled forward and yanked the two men off of Rachel and stood in between them and the girl perched on the counter behind him.

"What the hell's your problem, dude? She was up for the body shots." The blonde one huffed as his friend just shook his head in agreement.

Puck eyed them both. They were around his height and build, but his badass factor put him at an advantage, "Dude. She's underage go scam on a girl your own age." Puck wasn't uncomfortable with pulling the police card. No matter how badass anyone was the police were a real threat and he wasn't above using it. Plus, he got to watch the little pansies take off running out of the room.

"Brought me a drink, Nooooooaaaah?"

Puck turned around to face the small brunette as she snatched his cup out of his hand. She rocked backwards glancing up at him and he resisted the urge to pull her upright. If her drunkass fell it would be her own fault and he'd have an excuse to drive her ass home.

"Think drinking that is a good idea, Berry?" He raised an eyebrow as she took a gulp of beer. He wasn't quite sure how much meant alcohol poisoning in a person her height, but by the looks of her he was pretty sure she was getting close to crossing that line. And bringing her into the hospital, chancing running into his mother, really wasn't on his list of things to do tonight.

She smiled brightly and nodded, "Not just a good idea, Noah!" She threw her hands in the air, the cup of beer flying across the room. Her eyes trailed after it a few seconds too late, "Woops. It's a great idea!"

His eyebrow firmly in place he crossed his arms. Party foul. Major party foul. "You know what's a great idea? Going home before Finn and your dads find out any of this happened."

Her brows furrowed and Puck almost laughed. While drunk she seemed to lack her normal loquaciousness something that was so out of sorts that it was funny. "That's a horrible idea, Noah."

His eyebrows shot up and he was sure if he had hair they would have gotten lost, "How is that a horrible idea? You're drunk. I just stopped two guys from taking advantage of you. And you just committed the biggest party foul I've ever seen!" He pulled her off the counter and started tugging her to the door. "You can sleep it off at my place tonight. Text your dads that you're staying at a friend's and text Finn goodnight. Then you are hopping in the shower and possibly sleeping on my bathroom floor."

Rachel tugged her arm back and grasped the counter with her free arm. "No."

Puck swiveled around, "Don't make me throw you over my shoulder, woman."

"No. I'm not going anywhere. You're the one that needs to go away. I was having fun."

"Having fun being molested?" Puck shook his head. Talking with drunk Rachel was giving him a headache.

"They wanted me around."

"They wanted you, Berry. And at the rate they were filling you with drinks you wouldn't have known any different."

She shrugged slightly, "At least they did."

They weren't friends. That was something he told himself on several occasions, but he would always be the first one to jump up for her. It was something about how small she was. At least that's what he told himself when he was the first to decide to pummel St. Douche. So being mad when it came to Rachel wasn't something new. Wanting to set himself on fire when it came to Rachel wasn't something new either. But being mad at Rachel. That was new. "What are you playing at, Berry?"

She stumbled back slightly to lean against the counter before pointing an accusing finger at him. "You cock blocked me!"

Puck took a moment to be completely blindsided that she even knew that phrase before finding himself more angry than he was in the first place. "What the hell, Berry? I'm trying to help you out. Who knows what those guys were going to do, but it wasn't good. I did you a favor so you need to just chillax."

"I won't-" She paused for a moment trying to get her mouth to agree with the foreign word. "chillax. They wanted me. Someone wanted me!"

Puck could see where this was going. He was entering red flag territory. He figured she'd be hurt with everything that went down with VA and her mother. And then Beth. Damn. He hadn't even taken that into consideration. "Plenty of people want you around in a good way." Damn she was making him into a pansy. "Your dads. Finn. Come on. I'll take you home."

She shook her head before stopping quickly and taking on a shade of green. "My dads are on business all the time! Finn keeps 'forgetting' our dates. Tonight was one month, Noah. Did you know that? And he forgot. I'm sure he never forgot perfect Quinn. No one wants me. Finn doesn't want me. Glee club doesn't want me. Jesse doesn't want me. Hell, my own mother doesn't want me!"

She took several deep breaths trying to calm herself and maybe her stomach. Puck stayed silent. There wasn't really anything he could say. Nothing he would say right now would even come close to helping the situation.

Rachel looked up at him. "I just want to forget for a little while. I want to have fun. I want people to want me around. Let me do that."

He knew he should say no. It was one of those moments when doing the right thing and doing the wrong thing were too close for him to come up with the right answer. "You can't just go letting guys do body shots off you, Rach." He was resigned.

She smiled up at him brightly and grasped his large hand in her small one. "I won't. You won't tell will you?"

He ran his hand over his scalp wishing for the comfort of his mohawk, "Nah. Not now. But if I do this I want you to promise me something, Berry. I want you to come to me if something goes wrong. I'll dig you out of it, but that means I need to know where you are and what you're doing."

She smiled brightly and nodded before stumbling out into the living room. He knew it was a bad idea. But breaking promises wasn't badass.


	3. August 17, 2010 1:35am

**Chibi-Kari:** I think there is going to only be one more part after this...the reveal. I'm pretty sure I'm going to start writing it as soon as I finish posting this. So, who knows you may get another chapter today. Tell me what you think. I really live off of that. I don't own, but I really wish I did.

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**August 17, 2010 1:35am**

Puck glanced at his cell phone as he walked into the raging party. Only summer time can give you out of control Monday night parties. Or, he glanced at his cell phone one more time, Tuesday morning parties. He sighed running his hand through his hair as he glanced at the various party goers. Someone at this party had texted him saying that he found Rachel's phone. As soon as Puck saw the text he inquired if the person had texted anyone else. Thank God he hadn't. Last text received was the first texted was the answer. Things could have blown up in Rachel's face if she had texted Finn or one of her fathers last. Puckzilla saved her ass again. Rachel kinda sucked at being badass if you asked him.

"Small graces." He mumbled to himself as he scoured the room for Jason Adams.

He spotted the tall blonde standing by the speakers holding Rachel's little pink cell phone. Puck and Jason went way back. Two years to be exact when Puck, age 14, crashed his first college party and Jason, age 17, got him away from the cops. It was a long story, but they were bros. Puck was glad that everyone knew Jason even the mystery texter. And Puck was lucky that Jason was there although the idea of Jason not being there seemed ridiculous.

"Yo, man." Puck slapped the older boy on the shoulder.

Jason ricocheted off the speaker with an 'ouch' and a glare. "Dude, don't hit someone when they don't see you. Not chill."

Puck shook his head slightly. He really just wanted to get the phone and throw Berry, wherever the hell she was, over his shoulder then head out. He thought she had been lying to him about all the parties she went to and he just caught her straight in the act. A few tears from now he'd be back to trusting her. Damn girl could sell a baby to its mother. He shook his head harshly. He really was turning into a damn pansy.

"Phone, dude." He glanced around the living room looking for the owner of the little pink cell phone clutched in Jason's hand. "Have you seen the girl that phone belongs to?"

Jason turned his head slowly to look Puck in the eye. "The short brunette chick always with you at these things?" He said it slowly and seemed to be deciding what he wanted to say.

"That's her. Rachel. You seen her tonight?" Puck snatched the phone from his friend's hand when he didn't seem to be giving it up.

Jason eyed him slightly before pointing towards the middle of the room silently.

"Aw, fuck no." Puck mumbled to himself before barreling through the crowd.

There was Rachel singing and dancing, half dressed he might add, on a table with several other guys and girls to AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long. He threw one of the guys that was getting a little too handsy to the ground before he reached up and tossed Rachel easily over his shoulder.

He made his way out the door before Jason was able to catch him. "Dude, you may start a lynch party after you." Jason's eyes wandered a bit as he started to match his steps with Puck's.

Puck stopped abruptly and turned to him. "Dude, you keep your eyes on me or on our surroundings. I catch you checking out her ass one more time I'll floor you."

Jason held his hands up slightly. "Not my fault she doesn't have pants on."

"What?" Puck roared as he flipped Rachel into a standing position in front of him. She wobbled a moment before Puck steadied her with his hands. "Where the hell are your pants, Berry?" Puck's eyes widened as she looked down at herself in seeming confusion.

She reached down to pat her legs as if assuring herself that she really wasn't wearing pants. "Was I wearing any when I went in?"

Puck just blink as Jason laughed. "Sweetheart, neither of us were here when you walked in. Do you normally go to parties without pants?"

She tried to shrug. "No, but I've lost them before. Once my shirt was backwards when I woke up the next day."

Puck threw her back over his shoulder before starting the long trek back to his car. There had to be at least two hundred people in that house based on the amount of cars lining the dark road. He didn't have anything to say to Rachel at least not with her in this condition. He had tried to talk to her once about everything, but she just shrugged and said she was alright. This was about as far from alright has she possibly could get. Finn had even called him a week ago asking if he had seen her at temple because she hadn't returned his calls for almost two weeks. She was throwing her life right out the window and no one seemed the wiser. He could only hope that he could continue to cover for her while she finished out this phase.

"Need help sneaking her past her parents?" Jason asked as he jogged to catch up with them.

Puck tightened his grip on Rachel's legs slightly before shaking his head. "Nah. They aren't home."

Jason checked his watch before nodding in slight disbelief. "I'll help you get her in the car. I think you should stick with her tonight. I saw some of what she was drinking and I think it best you keep an eye on her, dude."

Suddenly Rachel went stiff and Puck closed his eyes tightly as he tried not to drop her. "She just threw up down my back didn't she?"

Jason scrunched up his face in disgust. "Yeah. I probably should have stopped her when I came here and saw her drinking."

"Yeah."


	4. November 23, 2010 10:58pm

**Chibi-Kari: ** This is it. Sorry I didn't get it up last night. I've been sick. I tried not to get too cliche so I changed it up a little bit. But obviously I've been watching too much Skins because...well...if anyone has watched the series they will see where I went. I don't own...and that's all I wrote. I'd love feedback! PS I had to have it slightly in the future because Jesse had to be there to take care of Beth.

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**November 23, 2010 10:58pm**

Somehow Mr. Schue had convinced Puck it was the right idea for him to come back to the joint Glee rehearsals. Of course the convincing had a lot to do with Puck's Spanish grade. And threatening his grade wasn't chill. It was the only class he was pulling a B in. Cause, dude, Puckzilla needed to woo women of every language. It was low, but from what Finn told him Mr. Schue didn't back down until he got what he wanted. Well…except when it came to Rachel. Of course, he was almost sure that the teacher didn't want to interact with her more than necessary. Right now, as much of a pansy as it made him seem, he wished Mr. Schue would pay attention to her. She fell asleep in class yesterday and the teacher had just ignored it not really wanting to wake her up.

It didn't help that Mr. Schue took Finn's side during the breakup, which was surprisingly brought on by Finn. It was almost strange to see Finn stand up in the middle of their music class and just start yelling at Rachel. Everyone was afraid to move as he ripped into her about purposely trying to hurt him by not returning his calls. Rachel just seemed to watch him with a sort of mild curiosity. That was a red flag to Puck. A major red flag. After Finn yelled something about her just breaking up with him she shrugged and said 'okay.' The room was silent as she stood and walked out of the door like nothing happened. It wasn't a diva storm out. If he could compare it to anything he would say it was like how that Luna chick from those Potter movies walked around. Don't judge him; those movies were badass even if he had to use his little sister as an excuse to go to them.

So here he was. A month later practicing at 11 at night, how Vocal Adrenaline did this on a nightly basis astounded him, with Finn sulking over to the side. No one had thought they would stay broken up this long, but Finn wasn't going to give in and Rachel didn't seem to care. It was pretty much a permanent thing now and Puck really wasn't complaining about that because they wouldn't be dating if someone finds out about Rachel's behavior. On more than one occasion he had found her with a guy and now that he didn't have to worry about Finn finding out and being hurt it didn't seem as big of a deal.

They paused in mid-song when Shelby's angry voice rang out through the auditorium. "Whose cell phone is that? I thought I told everyone to turn them off before they even came through the door."

Puck rolled his eyes as he jogged over to his coat thrown over the side of the stage. Shelby seemed to get angrier when she saw it was him. They definitely didn't see eye to eye after he talked back to her about Rachel that very first night. And every night he prayed that his daughter kept her awake because really who replaces their real kid with someone else's? Shelby could have been there for both girls. And Puck made snide comments as often as he could. And Shelby pushed him harder than any of the other kids. Needless to say, they didn't get along at these practices at all.

Puck laid down on the stage and reached down to grab the edge of his jacket before fishing for his phone in the pocket. His sister had been calling him lately about anything and everything. He was pretty sure she was having a hard time at school, but wouldn't tell him. She didn't want to seem like she wasn't a badass in front of her brother. He paused a moment when he saw Jason's name blinking at him from the screen before straightening up quickly and flipping it open.

"Yeah?" He knew he shouldn't be panicking, but it was ripping through him before he could stop it. Jason was probably just checking in with him about Rachel. They figured out quickly that double duty worked better when trying to keep her under control. It wasn't strange for Jason to make a quick call to him about what Rachel was doing.

"You need to get here." Jason's voice was a little unsteady and Puck felt his stomach drop to his feet.

"Where are you?" His snapped response had the entire room looking at him and he couldn't bring himself to care.

"We're at Lima Regional. Dude, you need to get here. I don't know what to do. She-I just don't know what to do."

"You know the rule about answering phones during rehearsal-"

"Shut up, lady!" Puck roared before turning slightly to his left. It didn't offer any privacy, but it felt like it did. "Where is she?"

"They took her in the back somewhere. I don't know. I'm in the waiting room. I don't know what to do." Jason seemed to really be panicking now.

Puck glanced at his watch again. His mother was working a double shift tonight and his sister was at a friend's house. "Dude, find my mom. Page her. Whatever. Tell her I'm on my way and everything that happened. I mean everything."

"You might not want me to do that. I mean what about-"

"Find her! I don't care. Just find her." Puck's voice leveled as he took a deep breath. Jason couldn't panic right now. He didn't even know what was going on, but he couldn't have him panicking when he was the only one that knew the situation. And Puck knew the boy's first response was to be tight lipped when it came to his friends. But if Rachel was at the hospital he couldn't afford to have him be that way. Whatever went down was bad enough to shake him up this bad.

"What if they need parental permission for something? I've seen that in the movies. Her dads are out of town again. Can you reach them?" Jason was starting to calm down again and Puck released a breath.

"Just find my mom. I'll be there in a few. I'll take care of everything." Puck barely finished his sentence before the line went dead.

He threw his phone down on the stage. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. He didn't know what to do. Who the hell even knew where her parents were. They were always off on some adventure leaving her to fend on her own. Fine and dandy if your kid was emotional stable or off at college. He wasn't sure what was wrong, but if she needed some kind of surgery she might have to have parent's consent. His mom was a damn nurse and it frustrated him that he didn't know how this crap worked.

He looked up quickly and found the face he needed. "We need to go."

He could tell her mind was working and trying to fit together the pieces. "Rachel?" Her question was simple, but it was asking more than that.

"We have to get to Lima Regional." He couldn't stand here much longer. If Shelby didn't get her act together he was just going to have to pull her out of the room.

Shelby took a step back. "Don't you need to call her fathers? They're the ones that need to be there. Not me."

Puck narrowed his eyes before jumping down from the stage. "If they were in town I'd call them. If they were ever in town they'd know this was going to happen."

"What does that mean, Puck?" Mr. Schue's voice was slightly higher than normal and Puck immediately understood. The man had seen the signs, but didn't care enough to do anything. Or maybe he was too busy denying anything was wrong. He seemed good at that if anyone looked at what happened with his wife or Ms. P and Carl.

He couldn't deal with him right now. He took a deep breath and started forward towards Shelby. "We need to go."

She only nodded this time before taking off after him down the aisle towards the doors. She turned back quickly to Jesse. "Follow in my car with Beth."

Puck glanced back at the room before taking off through the doors. New Directions seemed to be gathering their coats and deciding who would drive with who. Jesse stood staring after him Beth's carrier firmly placed in his left hand. He looked slightly blank as he started to follow the two of them Shelby's purse clutched in his other hand.

It seemed like an hour went by before he was able to get Shelby in his truck and start speeding there. It felt like everything was taking too long. They just weren't moving fast enough or maybe time was moving too fast. All he knew is that if he didn't get to the hospital soon he was sure he was going to explode.

"You need to slow down. We don't need to get to the hospital in an ambulance." Shelby kept her voice calm and smooth. She didn't need the boy next to her to do something stupid. His knuckles were already white and he was tense.

Puck momentarily thought of flooring it just to spite her, but knew she was right and eased his foot off the gas pedal. "We need to get there."

Shelby nodded. "We will." She wasn't sure that she wanted to ask, but she knew she had to. "What happened?"

He shook his head blankly as he swerved into the turn lane into the hospital. "I don't know. I don't know."

He barely had the car in park and turned off before he was out the door and sprinting into the ER. He almost felt like pounding on the automatic doors when they didn't open soon enough, but Shelby's sudden grip on his arm halted him long enough for them to open. He stumbled through the door and looked around the room. He scrambled the last five feet to Jason and his mother.

"Mom." He sounded almost relieved when he saw her arm firmly clamped on Jason's shoulder. "What's happening? Is she alright?"

Mrs. Puckerman looked over her son's shoulder to Shelby who had taken root right behind him. "Who are you?"

Shelby pulled herself up to her fighting stance. "I'm Rachel Berry's mother."

Mrs. Puckerman's eyes narrowed and a look of disgust crossed her features. She focused on her son again. "She's going to have a concussion, but we won't know too much until she wakes up. Her left arm is shattered. They're in surgery right now fixing it. Earlier she had a reaction to something she took." Her eyes glanced back at Jason. "It would help if we knew exactly what it was."

Jason seemed to lose it for a moment. "I told you I don't know! I'm doing my best!"

Puck grabbed his arm roughly shaking him. "What the hell happened?" Puck could hear everyone filing into the ER. Kurt seemed exceptionally loud and dramatic.

Jason shook his head slightly. "I don't know exactly. One moment she was heading to the bathroom and the next she was taking a head dive off the upstairs landing. She was fine when she went to the bathroom. I swear to God she was fine. I don't know what happened. It wasn't more than two minutes. Oh God." He grabbed his hair stumbling back into the chairs behind him.

"She's lucky she's not dead." Mrs. Puckerman mumbled. "You knew she was being this reckless didn't you, Noah?"

"She was fine. It was under control." He shook his head slightly. "I had it under control."

"Under control?" Mrs. Puckerman scoffed. "Her blood alcohol content was 0.35. That's not under control. That's as far out of control as possible. I'm surprised she's not dead. She's too small to get anywhere near that."

"That's almost five times the driving limit." Artie mumbled from somewhere behind him.

Puck was furious. He turned to Jason. "You were supposed to watch how much she drank! After what happened last time you said you'd watch how much she drank."

"Happened last time?" Shelby snapped. Her voice was strangled as she stepped towards the two boys. "How-how long has this been going on?"

Puck looked up at the group. Everyone was watching him closely like they could tell if he lied. He wasn't sure he wanted to anymore. "At least May."

Shelby stumbled back and Will stabilized her. "That's six months. Six months. Why didn't you tell one of her dads?" Will had placed his arm around her as she started fall to the ground.

Puck couldn't believe it. How could she judge him? He was doing his best! He was keeping her from going to far. He would have been there tonight and none of this would have happened if he didn't have to go to that stupid practice. "When? When was I supposed to tell them? I haven't seen them in three months! And then they were only home for a few hours. Business or pleasure. Or whatever the hell they were doing! I've been taking care of her! No one else. None of you cared enough! It's been me and Jason."

His mom came forward placing her hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off harshly. "You should have told me, Noah. I could have done something."

"It's just a phase. She got a raw deal. She needed to blow off some steam. That's all. I was making sure it didn't go too far. It was fine." He didn't believe any of it. He hadn't believed any of it for a long time. Maybe even from the start.

"It wasn't fine, Noah." Her voice was smooth and calm. It reminded him of when he was little and she would calm his tantrums. "What would you have done if it wasn't just a phase? How much longer could you have 'handled' it?"

He shook his head as he tried to understand what she was saying. He didn't know. "I don't know. I don't know." He let his head fall into his hands has he tried not to lose it in front of everyone.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" His mother sounded hurt and he was almost sure that that was close to the truth. She didn't like when her children kept things from her.

But he had had to keep it from her. "I promised."


End file.
